Six Flags-Fast Lane Question-Frequent User & Hershey

Hello everyone.

I know this topic was mentioned a while back, but I don't recall ever getting a difinitive answer.

If I have the stamped official Fast Lane Card from last year - can I still buy a two more bots this year to get a free one? (Rent 4 get one free was the policy on the card and there was no expiration date.)

I don't want to turn this into another "Is it right" or "Is it fair" debates. I would just like a legitamate answer.

By the way...Hershey looks like they are adding some stronger perks for their hotel guests. Front of the line access for 5 rides and concierge service while in the park. That's a much better deal than what they were offering.

Sorry, no answer on the Fast Lane thingy.

Just wanted to point out how great it is that Hershey is joining the side of evil and offering perks for the people dropping the cash.

It starts with hotel perks and before you know it, it's all through the park. ;)

I'd contact your local park, Richie, to ask them that one. Although you might get a different answer from everyone you ask.

Wow, I might almost re-finance my house to get a night at the Hotel Hershey. :) Guess I'll settle for the 15% food and beverage discount at the park regular pass holders get.

As far as that wristband goes, it's a sign that you need to go back to Knoebels for another one.

I remember reading about a month ago someone tried to use one of those stamp cards from last year at SFNE this year and got denied saying it's now a different program.

RE: Hershey and perks.

Can't say I didn't see that coming. A year or two ago, out of the clear blue, a story on 580 WHP news was all about how Hershey DOES NOT offer any type of fast pass, virtual queuing, front line access, or anything like that. HOWEVER the person being interviewed said "That is not saying that you may not see that at sometime in the future." I said then it seemed like they were just floating a test balloon to see people's reaction.

Hate to say it... but I would rather see a "Q-bot" type of system VS a front of line access for hotel / resort guests. On a busy day I might even buy a "q-bot"... but living 40 minutes from the park, the only way to get that "front line access" would be to stay at one of their properties... and that would be silly. *** Edited 5/25/2006 4:04:52 PM UTC by SLFAKE***

The Hershey Hotel is beautiful. It also costs an arm and a leg to stay in, even for just one night. Therefore, by trading an arm and a leg, you can skip the lines of five rides in the park. But only do this once, because you can't afford to loose BOTH your arms and legs. You'll need them for payment when you stay on-property at Disney World's Animal Kingdom Lodge next year....

Well it's a shame that Hershey decided to get all Six Flags like. But, if I've never had a bad day at Hersheypark before this decision, then I'm pretty sure that I'll never have a bad day there, now that they've gone this route.

I'll keep to staying at the cheaper hotels in the Hershey area, and still lovin every minute of my day at the park.

Seriously, though, if you avoid Saturdays and start your day with the slower-loading rides (Trailblazer, Wild Mouse, the water rides under the right conditions), just like at most parks, you should be fine with wait times. I honestly don't know how much of a benefit front of the line privileges are during the week, and for non-water rides. But if you want them, there they are.

Doing a little research...

This appears to be available to both people staying at Hotel Hershey and Hershey Lodge. It the website for Highmeadow Campground (also owned by Hershey) doesn't say anything about this... so not sure about folks staying there.

At $150 per person (NOT including admission to the park), I really don't see a huge number of people opting for this.

I don't think it will make much of a difference to anyone else.

Agreed, I don't think a lot of people are going to pay $150 for the service especially since it says you need a minimum of 4 people. $600 minimum to skip 5 lines and a few other perks? How many people are going to use this a day, 50 - 100 at most (and I think that's higher than what it will really be). Doesn't sound that bad (in terms of making the lines worse).

Hmmm.

I've been involved in most of the 'perk' threads around here, so let me try to sum up things I've read over the years.

-Free "cut-the-line/virtual queue" systems like Disney's FastPass are ok because they theoretically let everyone have a shot at participating.

-Hershey's "cut-the-line" Sweet Access Pass is ok because it's so expensive that not many will use it.

-SF's "cut-the-line/virtual queue" Flash Pass is bad because it is a multi-tiered, moderately priced system that many use, but not everyone can afford or justify the cost of.

Why doesn't that seem to add up to me?

So are we cool with the VIP tours many parks offer because even though it's a true "cut-the-line" experience, many people won't pay for it?

What about Universal's "cut-the-line" deal for Hotel guests? Or what about their Express Plus Pass that offers that same perk to anyone for a $15 fee?

Just trying to gain perspective.

Personally I have no problem with these perk things so long as they do not affect ride capacity. The parks have every right to do whatever they want to do, but as a paying customer I expect them to try to attain as fast a capacity as they can on a given day. Therefore, the only one of these I dispise are the Q-bot SF plans with their designated rows for Q-bot only since most of the time there is no one waiting there. SF Paper Ticket plan, that simply allows the person to get in line near the station I have no problem with.

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Touchdown said:
Personally I have no problem with these perk things so long as they do not affect ride capacity.

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Exactly. That's why I don't mind Disney's fastpass since their rides have such great capacity and thus I don't feel like I'm waiting longer due to the fastpass users. With Six Flags, I don't really know if the users cut into the capacity, but it certainly feels like they do. *** Edited 5/27/2006 2:14:03 AM UTC by PT300***

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PT300 said:

Exactly. That's why I don't mind Disney's fastpass since their rides have such great capacity and thus I don't feel like I'm waiting longer due to the fastpass users. With Six Flags, I don't really know if the users cut into the capacity, but it certainly feels like they do. *** Edited 5/27/2006 2:14:03 AM UTC by PT300***

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Like I said it depends on the system, the one SFGAm uses is just like Disney in the way the lines merge at a point prior to the station. The Q-bot ones like at SFOG with dedicated rows and no merging to the station is the only system I have a problem with. If merging before the station is unfeasible they should just do what Universal does and wait for a full train of Q-botters or 10 mins to go by before letting them get on the train, and if it was the latter case simply have them pick their rows first and allow the other guests not waiting for that row to ride (and yes I realize they will pick the front seat and probably the last seat before any in the middle but honestly if you are queuing up for those rows you expect a longer wait anyways.)